News Animals

Ants changed the architecture of their nests when exposed to a pathogen

Tweaks to entrances, tunnels and chambers may help prevent diseases from spreading

A gif of a crowd of black garden ants digging in the dirt.

Busy black garden ants dig in the dirt. In a new study, scientists found that these ants change their nest architecture in the presence of a pathogen, which likely slows the spread of disease.

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By Richard Kemeny

If an infection takes hold in an ants’ nest, it could spell disaster for the whole colony.